Determining capability and affect of upstream and downstream image forming devices and restricting operation accordingly

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

• determining an image forming capability of a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus, an image being formed on a printing medium that is transported between the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus;
• acquiring information concerning a number of colors used in the first image forming apparatus and information concerning the number of colors used in the second image forming apparatus;
• restricting an image forming operation of the first image forming apparatus when it is determined that the image forming capability of any one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus is to be lower than an image forming capability of the other one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus when independently performing an operation to form an image on the printing medium;
• and
• determining, when the acquired number of colors used in one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on an upstream side of the transport direction of the printing medium is greater than the acquired number of colors used in the other one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on a downstream side of the transport direction of the printing medium, that the image forming capability of one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on the downstream side is to be lower than an image forming capability when the one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on the downstream side independently performs an operation to form an image on the printing medium,
• wherein the first image forming apparatus is connected to the second image forming apparatus in a transport direction of a printing medium to form a multiple printer system.

An image forming device comprising:

• a detector that detects whether or not a first image forming apparatus is able to receive a print request, an image being formed on a printing medium on the basis of the print request to be received by the first image forming apparatus or a second image forming apparatus, the printing medium being transported between the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus;
• an acquiring unit that acquires information concerning a number of colors used in the first image forming apparatus and information concerning the number of colors used in the second image forming apparatus;
• and
• an operation unit that performs, when the print request is sent to the first image forming apparatus, a preset operation so as to form an image on the basis of the print request, upon detection by the detector that the first image forming apparatus is not able to receive the print request;
• wherein, when the acquired number of colors used in one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on an upstream side of the transport direction of the printing medium is greater than the acquired number of colors used in the other one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on a downstream side of the transport direction of the printing medium, it is determined that the image forming capability of one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on the downstream side is to be lower than an image forming capability when the one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on the downstream side independently performs an operation to form an image on the printing medium, and
• wherein the first image forming apparatus is connected to the second image forming apparatus in a transport direction of a printing medium to form a multiple printer system.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

• detecting whether or not a first image forming apparatus is able to receive a print request, an image being formed on a printing medium on the basis of the print request to be received by the first image forming apparatus or a second image forming apparatus, the printing medium being transported between the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus;
• acquiring information concerning a number of colors used in the first image forming apparatus and information concerning the number of colors used in the second image forming apparatus;
• performing, when the print request is sent to the first image forming apparatus, a preset operation so as to form an image on the basis of the print request, upon detecting that the first image forming apparatus is not able to receive the print request;
• and
• determining, when the acquired number of colors used in one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on an upstream side of the transport direction of the printing medium is greater than the acquired number of colors used in the other one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on a downstream side of the transport direction of the printing medium, that the image forming capability of one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on the downstream side is to be lower than an image forming capability when the one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus positioned on the downstream side independently performs an operation to form an image on the printing medium,
• wherein the first image forming apparatus is connected to the second image forming apparatus in a transport direction of a printing medium to form a multiple printer system.